242 
FRINGILLA AMERICANA. 
inches in extent ; upper parts, green olive, brightest on 
the ramp ; lower parts, a dusky Naples yellow, brightest 
on the belly ; and tinged considerably on the breast 
with dull green, or olive ; cheeks, or ear-feathers, 
marked with lighter touches ; bill, wholly a pale lead 
colour, lightest below ; legs and feet, the same. 
The food of these birds consists of rice, insects, and 
various kinds of seeds that grow luxuriantly in their 
native haunts. I also observed them eating the seeds 
or internal grains of ripe figs. They frequent gardens, 
building within a few paces of the house ; are particu- 
larly attached to orangeries ; and chant occasionally 
during the whole summer. Early in October they 
retire to more southern climates, being extremely 
susceptible of cold. 
160 . FRINGILLA AMERICANA , BONAPARTE. 
EMBEIUZA AMERICANA , WILS. BLACK-THROATED BUNTING. 
WILSON, PLATE III. FIG. II. 
Of this bird I have but little to say. They arrive in 
Pennsylvania from the south about the middle of 
May; abound in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, 
and seem to prefer level fields covered with rye-grass, 
timothy, or clover, where they build their nest, fixing 
it in the ground, and forming it of fine dried grass. 
The female lays five white eggs, sprinkled with specks 
and lines of black. Like most part of their genus, 
they are nowise celebrated for musical powers. Their 
whole song consists of five notes, or, more properly, 
of two notes; the first repeated twice and slowly, 
the second thrice, and rapidly, resembling chip> chip , 
die die die. Of this ditty, such as it is, they are by 
no means parsimonious, for, from their first arrival for 
the space of two or three months, every level field of 
grain or grass is perpetually serenaded w ith chip , chip , 
che die che. In their shape and manners they very much 
resemble the yellow-hammer of Britain (E. citrinella ;) 
like them, they are fond of mounting to the top of 
